


By the π

by Strange and Intoxicating -rsa- (strangeandintoxicating)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:41:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24143002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangeandintoxicating/pseuds/Strange%20and%20Intoxicating%20-rsa-
Summary: The rules were so simple an idiot like Lance could have followed them— recite the first 31 numbers of Pi right and get unlimited pizza for the night. There were a few caveats, though they’d all made perfect sense to Keith: no phones, no help, and no second-chances.Had Keith known just how hot the owner of By the π was, maybe he would have changed tactics.“Nervous?” Shiro asked, voice low and so, so smooth. He tapped his ball-point pen against his lip. “Don’t be. I don’t bite— much.” He emphasized it with the slightest nip to the bottom of his pen.Keith was so fucked.Or: Keith's a broke college student who wants free pizza. He'll just have to get through Delta Theta Pi's reigning wet t-shirt champion and pizzeria owner to get there.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 120





	By the π

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is for Starry! I hope you enjoy it! <3

Keith knew exactly what he was doing.

Or, well, he _thought_ he knew exactly what he was doing until Takashi Shirogane stepped up to his table. Maybe it was his tight white shirt and jeans leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination, his backward snapback leaving just the silver floof visible, or the half a dozen 1st place wet t-shirt trophies lining the walls that suddenly made a whole lot more sense, but either way… 

Keith couldn’t stop his mouth from dropping open as he looked at the man in front of him. _Oogling_ at would have been more accurate, considering his slack-jaw, but… 

What else was Keith supposed to do? 

The original plan had been simple enough— come into the shop, sit down at one of the free tables, hit his hand down on the little red button that every table had to challenge the owner to a Pi-off and get his free pizza. Matt had even warned him about the red lights and the blaring siren along with the rules, but that was the extent of it.

The rules were so simple an idiot like Lance could have followed them— recite the first 31 numbers of Pi right and get unlimited pizza for the night. There were a few caveats, though they’d all made perfect sense to Keith: no phones, no help, and no second-chances. It wouldn’t have really been a competition if it was easy, after all. 

Had Keith known just how hot the owner of _By the_ _**π**_ was, maybe he would have changed tactics.

The man leisurely leaned in close enough to make Keith swallow, hard. 

That should have counted as a foul. Being that hot was bound to shake most people down to the core, Keith included.

“Nervous?” Shiro asked, voice low and so, so smooth. He tapped his ball-point pen against his lip. “Don’t be. I don’t bite— much.” He emphasized it with the slightest nip to the bottom of his pen.

Keith was so fucked.

Oh, oh _God_. Keith closed his eyes in shame, feeling his entire face heat up. He should have asked around, tried to find out more information before walking into _By the_ _**π**_ for the first time. Maybe he would have understood just why so few people ever actually won and why Pidge’s brother had laughed maniacally when he told Keith about it in the first place. 

“The owner, Shiro— he’s a good friend of mine from Delta Theta Pi— after he graduated, he opened up his shop across the street from the frathouse,” Matt had said, that smirk pulled over his mouth now, in hindsight, so much closer to a shark’s leer than a friendly smile. “If you win the game, he’ll feed you all the pizza you want. And hey, you’ll even get your picture with Shiro.” 

“Why would I care about that?” Keith had asked, but Matt’s response was to merely shrug. 

“Yeah, guess the pizza’ll just have to do.” 

Hook, line, and sinker. Keith was broke and constantly hungry, and the thought of free pizza was too good to pass up, especially when all it took was remembering a few numbers. The picture didn’t mean jack to Keith, not when pizza was the main prize.

Matt was so goddamn _dead_ when Keith got his hands on him.

Feeling the heat on his face and the sweat on the back of his neck, Keith looked up into Shiro’s eyes. 

God, it should have been _illegal_ to be that hot. 

When he’d prepared with Pidge the night before, Keith had done so under the assumption that he’d be telling some bored 40-something dude with a pocket protector and a printout of pi, but that wasn’t what he got at all. 

It would have been so damn _**easy**_ it that was who he had to talk to, but now?

Keith wiped his palms on his pants, trying his best to not melt straight into the booth. No matter how much he wiped, though, he could still feel the sweat. 

This wasn’t a fair game. This wasn’t a fair game at all.

“So, you think you’ve got what it takes?” Shiro asked as he pushed his pen behind his ear and crossed his arms over his chest. Somehow, someway, that move made his pecs all but pop out of his damn shirt. 

Keith’s mouth wasn’t working. When he tried to speak, all he managed was to let out an unacceptable _squawk_. 

Shiro raised one eyebrow. 

“I— uh, yeah,” Keith mumbled before straightening his back. His mama hadn’t raised no quitter. It didn’t matter if Shiro looked like an underwear model or not. All that mattered was that Keith hadn’t eaten since breakfast all he really, really wanted some damn pizza. 

Shiro merely smiled. 

He had a really nice smile, too.

_Get a grip, Kogane,_ Keith thought as he looked away from Shiro, noting the number of eyes glued to his table. Most, blessedly, were staring at Shiro (and with good reason) but a few were looking at him, curiously. 

Except for the table closest to the kitchen, where two sets of eyes popped over the top of their upright menus to stare at him.

“I’m gunna fucking _kill_ you two,” Keith whispered, and though he knew he was too far away for the Holt siblings to hear, he could almost see their smiles through the damn menus. 

Shiro, though, merely glanced over to the table with a laugh for a moment before sliding into the booth right up next to Keith.

“They told me to expect a contender today,” Shiro said. His teeth were really nice and very, very straight. Keith wondered, numbly, what it would feel like to have those teeth nipping at his throat— 

No. Definitely _no_.

“And they’re my best customers. Let’s try _not_ to kill them, yeah?” 

“No promises,” Keith shot back, getting him a laugh for his efforts. 

How was it possible for someone to even have a _sexy_ laugh? It wasn’t fair.

“Well, Mr. If Looks Could Kill—” 

“Keith,” Keith supplied, making Shiro’s smile only widen.

“Okay, _Keith_ ,” Shiro said, letting the words drift over the sound of the buzzer as he leaned forward to double tap the button, leaving them in complete and utter silence. “I’m Shiro, the owner here.” 

“I know.” 

Shiro quirked an eyebrow before he shot a look toward Pidge and Matt. “Well, I’ll have to thank them later.” 

Keith wanted to ask what for, but before he had the chance, Shiro leaned in so close Keith could see the flecks of gray in his dark brown eyes. “So, you want to try for that free pizza, or do you just want to admit defeat?” 

“I—” Keith licked his bottom lip, trying the best he could _not_ to look at Shiro. “I’m okay. I’m ready.” 

Shiro rested one elbow on the table as he reached into his little side apron, pulling out his little printout of pi. 

At least Keith had got that one right. 

“Well, then… _**Go**_.” 

Keith closed his eyes and began, saying the words just as he had practiced them. His foot tapped to a rhythm he knew by heart, his mouth formed the words he’d forced himself to recite over and over until he could do it in his sleep, and that pizza was _his_ , damn it.

_And the picture,_ Keith thought as he pushed himself right to the edge.

“...Two… Seven… Nine… Five.” 

Keith took in a breath, foot slowing, and he blinked his eyes open to see Shiro staring at him, unblinking. His mouth was hanging limp for just a moment before he finally managed to pull his jaw up off the table.

“...did you just get all 31 numbers of pi by saying them to _The Master of Puppets_?” 

Keith could hear Matt and Pidge in peels of laughter, but Keith kept his gaze on Shiro.

“Uh… yes?”

“Well… alright then.” Shiro slammed his hand on the big button twice in quick succession, making the entire restaurant light up in flashing rainbow lights and cheers, before pulling out a little party popper from his apron and taking aim just above Keith’s head. “We got us a winner here, ladies and gents!” 

The hoots and hollers from Matt and Pidge’s table were particularly loud, but Keith could only look at Shiro and his too-tight shirt as he leaned in so close their knees knocked into one another.

“What kinda pizza do you like?”

“Uh… Double sausage and peppers.”

Shiro nodded his head for a second before biting down on his lip. 

“Hey, Keith,” Shiro said after a moment, voice nearly disappearing into the cheers, “there’s a bonus round. Y’know, if you’re interested.” 

“Uh…” Keith wiped his hands on his jeans again. “I— uh, okay. Sure. More numbers?” Keith had memorized up until 40, just in case.

Shiro made a movement with his pointer finger, gesturing for Keith to come closer until the shell of his ear was nearly pressed against the other man’s mouth. 

Trying his best to not shiver at the man’s breath on his sensitive skin, Keith listened carefully for Shiro’s rugged voice. 

“More like _your_ number.” 

Shiro pulled back and fucking _winked_ before slipping out of the booth. “Gotta get your pizza. And gotta get those two something for bring me to you.”

“Shiro—” 

“Think on it, Sunshine. You got a few minutes. I promise I'll be back for the picture—and a lifetime supply of pizza, if you're game.” 

But Keith didn’t _need_ a few minutes to think on it.

“Wait— yes!” 

But all Shiro did was wink again before raising both arms into a victory pose.

Keith wasn’t sure who won or if he particularly cared to find out. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Yes, they end up getting married and running the pizza shop happily for the rest of their lives, with Keith whispering a digit of pi into Shiro's ear every morning.


End file.
